"Reconfigurations" by Margaret Gohn

"Reconfigurations" by Margaret Gohn is the current show up in the gallery. The reception will be October 30th, 6-8.

"Reconfigurations" is an exhibit of mixed-media pieces dealing with degeneration and recreation. Handmade paper, plants, sand, collaged ink drawings, and paint scraps are some of the materials used.

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Joanne Shank - July/August Show

Paintings of local birds
July 3 - August 28
Reception - Friday, Aug 7, 5:30-7:30

Next Show - Cheri Glaser - Floorcloths

CHERI GLASER (formerly a professional potter) has begun experimenting with the process of painted canvas floorcloths. Floorcloths were used during this country's early years as an inexpensive yet practical floor covering. The height of their popularity was in the 1700's tapering off in the middle 1800's. Today, artists' are reinventing the floorcloths as an alternative to area rugs, adding individual design and modern production techniques. 

Glaser will have her recent floorcloths on display at the Luna Moth Gallery from April 29 - June 29th. Opening reception is Friday, May 1, from 5:30 - 7:00.

Doilies by Julie Flaherty

Women teaching each other various arts has happened since people were people (at least if you don't count people being people until they could do such things). Crocheted doilies are part of that tradition. Julie has brought us some nice examples of these.

The show will be up through April 28th.

"Paper Paintings" by Emily Barthel

It's a New Year and the Luna Moth Gallery has a new show up. It is "Paper Paintings" by Emily Barthel.

Emily's art is created from various discards that she finds. She writes,

"For the viewer, I desire to create a moment of relief from the everyday chaos in today’s energetic culture and to induce consideration of the possibilities of reusing.

As long as society has a throw away mentality, my non-standard supplies will never run out.

The exhibit will be up through February 28th. There will be a reception January 18th from 1-3.

Emily Barthel's website is emilybarthel.com

Bloomington is a Certified Wildlife Habitat Community

Lucille Bertuccio and a group of Habitat Stewards have been working to make this happen for years. It means that a certain percentage of households, schools and businesses in the Bloomington community have created wildlife habitats and had their properties certified by the National Wildlife Federation.

On October 4th at the Showers Common and the Farmer's Market - there will be a ceremony with the Mayor.

COME CELEBRATE WITH US!

It's great to know that Bloomington as a community is welcoming to wildlife.

The Luna Moth Gallery is having a show of photographs from various habitats in the area.

These are just a few of the photos that are on exhibit at the gallery through December 31st (some of the exhibits will be at the Showers Common for the celebration on October 4th).

Photos of Bertuccio Show and Reception

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Art by Mari Bertuccio


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Cards by Mari Bertuccio


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Beaded earrings by Elizabeth Bertuccio


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Beaded earrings by Elizabeth Bertuccio

Elizabeth and Mari Bertuccio - July/August Show

The exhibit for July and August is a show of Elizabeth Bertuccio's embroidery and beadwork and Mari Bertuccio's drawings and paintings.

Elizabeth embroiders nature based images. She also creates beautiful earrings, necklaces and bracelets resembling butterflies, snakes, birds and flowers out of antique beads and findings. Her work has been featured in FiberArts magazine. Mari designs and illustrates cards, tarot cards and boxes featuring spiritual and political themes. She also has some surrealist drawings and paintings with nature-based imagery.

The Bertuccio sisters live in Portland Oregon.

There will be an opening July 11th from 5:30-7:30.

Earthworks Reception and Open House

Earthworks

(updated 6/3/08)

The next show at the gallery is called "Earthworks". The show features Natural buildings built in the Bloomington area.

Specifically:

"Fox Haven" - a cordwood Hermitage at the Mt. Gilead Friends Retreat
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Silja Weber's Hobbit type playhouse created with cob construction
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and the Habitat for Humanity built Strawbale house
(photo showing house in progress)
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The show has photos and drawings (in some cases) of the progress of construction.

From the Strawbale House website:

Advantages of Natural Building Techniques

The greatest advantages are affordability for housing construction, followed by energy efficiency, creating a healthy building environment and taking advantage of passive solar design. Passive solar design maximizes solar heating by orienting the house with south-facing windows and mass to absorb the sun's heat. Sunlight enters through low-e (energy efficient) windows extending along a south wall coupled with a pressed concrete slab floor to provide mass absorption of heat.

Overhangs along the south wall will create maximum shading in summer while allowing the sun to shine in during the colder months. R-40 insulation in the ceiling and walls also help retain heat.

Construction uses other natural building materials whenever possible -- materials which are environmentally friendly, require less energy to produce and both use and generate no toxic off-gas or other pollution during use or after disposal. The use of a radiant floor heating system - which is safer, quieter, more comfortable and more efficient than forced air systems and requires less maintenance -- was used in the final design plans.

Photos of Some of the Auction Art

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(art by Andrew Leonberger)


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(art by Maureen Pesta)


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(art by Elizabeth & Mari Bertuccio)

Spring Silent Auction Starts Tomorrow

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The Auction will include Springy Oil Paintings, Pastels & Photography, Art from Recycled Materials and More.

Artists include: Mari and Elizabeth Bertuccio, Margaret Gohn, Jeanne Leimkuhler, Andrew Leonberger, Maureen Pesta, Laura Smith, and Shodo Spring.

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(art by Andrew Leonberger)

Open Wednesday through Friday 1:00 - 5:00.

A reception will be held in conjunction with the Downtown Gallery Walk on April 4th from 5:30-7:30.

Bids will be accepted until April 25th at 5:00 pm.
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I noticed that someone referred to this as the "Silent Spring" auction - which seemed appropriate. -m

"Wildflower Project"

The Luna Moth Art Gallery is looking for gardeners/ photographers/artists to participate in the 2008 "Wildflower Project" (Inspired by the Artworld Digest Seed Project - see artworldigest.com).

1. Buy Wildflower Seeds (or use seeds you have harvested, etc.)

2. Plant the seeds somewhere - be creative.

3. Create Art - take a picture of it.

4. Display - send your image online to lunamothgallery@gmail.com and the Luna Moth Art Gallery Blog will post them. And/or frame your image and participate in the September/October exhibit at the Luna Moth Gallery at the Caldwell Eco-Center (please email with your interest in participating in the show by August 1st).

5. Spread the joy - buy extra seeds for friends and family (or at least tell them about the project).


See the Seed Project at artworldigest for inspiration. You may also want to participate in their basil Seed Project.

Upcoming Shows

Updated March 13th, 2008

The show for March/April will be the Spring Auction - art from a variety of artists - with a silent auction. Reception for Spring Silent Auction April 4th 5:30 - 7:30.

The show for May/June will be a show called "Earthworks" highlighting local structures created with strawbale, cob and such. This will include excerpts from Silja Weber's scrapbook and photos about the cob playhouse and oven she created. Plus photos of local projects such as the Habitat from Humanity Strawbale House and other local projects.

The show for July/August, "At Peace with the World", will feature artists working in a variety of media creating nature-based artwork. Including Elizabeth Bertuccio's antique-beaded butterfly earrings, and Mari Bertuccio's fairy drawings and other friends of the gallery.

For September/October - "Wildflower Project" photography will be exhibited. Interested persons are asked to email the gallery lunamothgallery@gmail.com.

For November/December - artwork by Andrew Leonberger.

Current Exhibit, "Our Awesome Universe"

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The current exhibit at the Luna Moth Art Gallery at the Caldwell Eco-Center is "Our Awesome Universe". The mixed-media paintings by Margaret Gohn depict nebulas, novas, galaxies and other elements of the larger universe.

The round paintings, which were inspired by Hubble Photos, were created by using glazes of color and iridescent paints to try to capture the filmy nature of the subjects. There are also paintings on panels which represent possible foreign landscapes. And painted spheres which represent possible planets.

And there is one sunflower painting.

The artist, Margaret Gohn, also works creating plein air oil paintings (painting on site) in the woods, in fields, and at the ocean (and sometimes in places like aquariums). The work she does creating artwork based on the far reaches of space are a way of focusing on the worlds outside of ours. A way of considering how amazing the universe, as well as our own life, is.

Part of the challenge of creating both the plein air paintings and the universe paintings is trying to capture the sense of life, of movement. The world, the universe, in a state of flux.


The exhibit will run through Feb. 28th.